Weight Loss/Dieting


A balanced diet and regular physical activity are the building blocks of good health. Poor eating habits and too little physical activity can lead to overweight and related health problems. By eating right and being active, you can stay at or reach a healthy weight. Do it for yourself and your family!

What is a healthy weight?

Body mass index (BMI) is one way to tell whether you are at a healthy weight, overweight, or obese. It measures your weight in relation to your height. A BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is in the healthy range. In the chart below, find your height in the left-hand column and move across the row to find your weight. If you are in the overweight or obese range on the chart, you are more likely to have certain health problems.

What are the health risks of being overweight?

Extra weight can put you at higher risk for:
  • type 2 diabetes (high blood sugar)

  • high blood pressure

  • heart disease and stroke

  • some types of cancer

  • sleep apnea (when breathing stops for short periods during sleep)

  • osteoarthritis (wearing away of the joints)

  • gallbladder disease

  • irregular periods

  • problems with pregnancy, such as high blood pressure or increased risk for cesarean section (c-section)
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If You Need to Lose Weight

Losing as little as 5 to 15 percent of your body weight over 6 months or longer can do much to improve your health. For example, if you weigh 200 pounds, losing 5 percent of your body weight means losing 10 pounds. Losing 15 percent of your body weight means losing 30 pounds. A safe rate of weight loss is 1/2 to 2 pounds per week.

Try some of these ideas to support your weight-loss efforts:
  • Keep a food diary.
  • Shop from a list and shop when you are not hungry.
  • Store foods out of sight.
  • Dish up smaller servings. At restaurants, eat only half your meal and take the rest home. See the Weight-control Information Network (WIN) brochure Just Enough for You: About Food Portions for more tips on controlling portion size.
  • Eat at the table and turn off the TV.
  • Be realistic about weight-loss goals. Aim for a slow, modest weight loss.
  • Seek support from family and friends.
  • Expect setbacks and forgive yourself.
  • Add physical activity to your weight-loss plan. Doing regular physical activity can help you control your weight.
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Getting Active

You do not have to be an athlete to benefit from regular physical activity. Even modest amounts of physical activity can improve your health. Start with small, specific goals such as walking 10 minutes a day, 3 days a week, and slowly build up from there. Keep an activity log to track your progress.

Try these activities to add more movement to your daily life:
  • Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Make sure the stairs are well lit.
  • Get off the bus one stop early if you are in an area safe for walking.
  • Park the car farther away from entrances to stores, movie theaters, or your home.
  • Take a short walk around the block with family, friends, or coworkers.
  • In bad weather, walk around a mall.
  • Rake the leaves or wash the car.
  • Visit museums, the zoo, or an aquarium. You and your family can walk for hours and not realize it.
  • Take a walk after dinner instead of watching TV.
For a well-rounded workout plan, combine aerobic activity, muscle-strengthening exercises, and stretching. Do at least 30 minutes a day of moderate physical activity on most or all days of the week. Add muscle-strengthening activities to your aerobic workout two to three times a week.
    Aerobic activity is any activity that speeds up your heart and breathing while moving your body at a regular pace. If you have been inactive for a while, you may want to start with easier activities, such as walking at a gentle pace. This lets you build up to more intense activity without hurting your body.

    Strengthening activities include lifting weights, using resistance bands, and doing push-ups or sit-ups. Besides building stronger muscles.
Strengthening exercises should focus on working the major muscle groups of the body, such as the chest, back, and legs. Do exercises for each muscle group two or three times a week. Allow at least 1 day of rest for your muscles to recover and rebuild before another strengthening workout. (It is safe to do aerobic activity every day.)

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What About Diet Pills?

Diet pills you buy without a prescription won't make a big difference in how much you lose each week or how long you keep the weight off. If you do use them, read the label carefully. Because of possible side effects, like high blood pressure, never take more than the listed dose.

Also, be careful about taking cough or cold medicines with diet pills you buy without a prescription. These medicines may contain the same drug used in diet pills, or a similar drug with the same effects. If you take both products together, you may get too much of the same type of drug. This can hurt you.

Before taking a cough or cold medicine while using diet pills, ask your pharmacist if it's OK.

Prescription diet pills may help some people. If you use them, follow the doctor's directions carefully.

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Before Signing Up for a Weight-Loss Program, ask Questions

Does the Company:
  • Explain possible health risks from weight loss?
  • Explain all costs?
  • Include weight control over a long time?
  • Have proof of success, not just praise by other people?
  • Give a clear, truthful statement of how you're going to lose weight, including how much and how fast?
  • Teach how to eat healthfully and exercise more?
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How many calories do you need each day?

Find the number of calories you should eat each day to maintain your current weight. If you're overweight, use the average healthy weight recommended for your height.

To lose weight: To take off one pound per week, you'll need to reduce calories by 500 per day. (One pound of body fat equals about 3,500 calories.) Try eating 250 calories less per day and exercising enough to burn 250 calories— like walking about 2.5 miles each day. The easiest way to cut back on calories is to watch your portion sizes.

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Information obtained from National Institute of Health
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